Happy Birthday, Mimi!

We hope you have a GREAT year!

One day at a time....

Due to all of the activity of the party, Mikey came home on Sunday evening quite exhausted! He opened his gifts from Mimi and Grandpa and a few more before calling it a night. It has worked out wonderfully as now he has a present to open each day!

When Mikey opens a gift, he gets so excited about each item, he only needs to open one gift to be content. He asks to open the gift and starts playing with it immediately. Why rush it? It helps the birthday celebration last even longer!

Here are some of his favorites thus far......

Happy Birthday to YOU!

Mikey celebrated his 2nd birthday with a party at My Gym on Sunday, February 27 at 2:30 in the afternoon. His friends Brody, Chloe, Zoe, Ellie, Abigail, Molly, Ruby, Maggie, Nora and Alexandra were all in attendance--Mikey and Sam Frost (from NH), Jimmy Casey (from NJ), Kaylie and Madyson Tolska (also from NJ) were there in spirit. The party lasted for an hour and a half. It was JAM PACKED with lots of activities for the kids and we cannot believe how fast the time went. Mikey had a ball! He participated in activities that I haven't seen him participate in during a regular gym class. It was like he knew the party was for him!




My favorite part of the party was when Mikey was brought out on a train with a special birthday hat and he was paraded around the "big red circle" to a "Happy Birthday" tune. The look on his face was priceless. (Picture to be inserted when I get it)

The kids enjoyed Elmo cupcakes (made by Mommy) after we sang "Happy Birthday" and finished up on the swings before we said goodbye. What a FUN day!



On Mikey's actual birthday, he attended Eva's House while Mommy and Daddy went to work. Mommy made carrot muffins for snack to share with Mikey and his friends. (Pictures to be inserted when Eva emails them to me)

For dinner, we went to Friendly's. Mikey indulged in his first hot fudge sundae made with vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream and 2 cherries! He LOVED it. He kept saying "Mmmmmmm" after every spoonful!






Happy Birthday, buddy!

Mikey is TWO!

(Man, it used to be A LOT easier to get these shots when you were younger!)

Here is a quick list of all the things that make you so special these days:

• You love to show off your toys to anyone and everyone that comes to visit in person OR via skype (more specifically your cars, tractor, "choo-choo", trucks, ball/bat, and farm);

• Your attempt to jump is also your famous dance move----your feet are not yet leaving the ground and it is my most favorite thing to watch you do;

• You are now in L-O-V-E with your Daddy and it is so sweet to watch. You are constantly saying "Daddy" and you get so excited when you hear his key in the door when he comes home from work (you also say "Mommy" and lots of single words at this point.....not yet putting 2 words together);

• You recently began to display some separation anxiety when I leave you on Tuesdays at Eva's house. You have the saddest face and reach/lunge for me when I hand you over. This morning you clung to me as soon as I unstrapped you from the car seat. Eva says you stop less than 2 minutes after I leave, but today you had me crying in the car. I did not want to leave you crying on your birthday.
  

Happy 2nd Birthday, Mikey! We find ourselves thinking that we love you so much today, how could we possibly love you even MORE tomorrow....yet we do! These past two years have FLOWN. You are such a joy to be with and we are so blessed that you came into our lives. WE LOVE YOU!

xoxo
Mommy & Daddy

Happy 2nd Birthday, Jimmy Casey

Dear Jimmy,

You are my best "guy" friend. Our mommies were pregnant within six weeks of each other and yet here we were born one day apart. Here's a little trip down memory lane.....

(there we are inside the tummies!)

This is when we first met---June 6, 2009 at 3 months old

Here we are hanging out at 10 months

Getting into trouble at the Ecker house (16 months)

On the go at the Boston Children's Museum at 17 months

and NOW YOU ARE TWO!

We hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday! Let's celebrate together soon!

Your bestest bud,
Mikey

Daddy's First Blog Post

This is my first foray into the blog world. Alli has done such a fantastic job I never thought to give it a try.

Today was Mikey and Daddy Day, our first in awhile. Ever since Mommy started working on Tuesdays we have had "Family Fun Day" on Mondays. Mom and Dad both have off from work and we tend to plan a few activities all centered around an afternoon trip to My Gym at 3:10.

Today was a bit different as Mimi was in town and was going to the Salon with Mommy to get their hair done. That left Mikey and Daddy to play all morning. Unfortunately the morning was a cold and snowy one. On any other snowy day Mikey would have occupied the window waiting for a Bobcat or two to plow the snow. This morning instead began with Mikey and Mimi looking out the window at Daddy brushing off Mimi's car so Mimi and Mommy could make it to their appointment. There wasn't enough snow to see any "trucks" as we all know Mikey's favorite. We only got about an inch but an inch was enough to keep us inside. It was only last week that we were teased with 60 degree temperatures in the middle of February and Mommy and Mikey were able to take a walk outside, I had hoped to do the same soon. This morning instead would consist of lots of matchbox cars, trucks and more trucks (books that is) and of course Sesame Street. (Mikey's favorite is Elmo but I think Cookie is a close second.) The most enjoyable though was Mikey watching Ken Burns "Tenth Inning" , a documentary of baseball from the 90's and 00's. Mikey is a big fan of the Home Run. He clapped endlessly to the segment on the Yankee Championships but even more so to the Home Runs hit by Mark McGwire. Uncle Mark we might have a little baseball player in the making. Just needs to stay off the Andro.

After a very good lunch Mikey looked for his lovey and took his nap. Mommy and Mimi returned for lunch with their new hair dew's and we all had lunch. Mikey woke up in enough time to say goodbye to Mimi and then off to gym we went. Mommy had to work while we were at My Gym and while Mikey tore up the gym floor with his tumbling moves the highlight of the session was a train ride on a track and the ball pit which Mikey must have played in at least 5 times.

What made me laugh today though was Mikey looking for Mommy during separation time. You could tell he was hoping Mommy would be there by now and as he scanned all the Mom's and realized she wasn't there. That however didn't stop him from asking all the Mom's for a drink. Mikey in his sign language went up to other Moms of the group and placed his fist on his lower lip. It was really sweet. Before he knew it separation time was done and Mikey and Daddy were back together putting on our shoes in order to get stamps, the ritual ending to a day at My Gym. Just as he got his sneaks on Mommy walked through the door. Mikey though was able to see her from the parking lot and was beaming.

Mommy was back and it was "Family Day" again... at least for a bit. Mommy would be going to Alyssa's house to watch her favorite show... the Bachelor and Mikey and Daddy would be at home all alone once more. After a bath we played a bit, read some more books and before I could ask him if he wanted his lovey for bed he was sprinting to his room. What a day! We are both looking forward to the next Mikey and Daddy day!

We did Miss Mommy though.....I'll take a "Family Fun Day" anytime, too.

Forward Facing Mikey

This weekend we finally turned Mikey around in his car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that kids over 1 year (and/or 20 pounds) remain rear-facing longer due to spinal cord injuries that could result from a car accident. The child's body is more cradled and protected in this position (since most accidents are from the rear) and therefore, they are recommending that parents wait to turn their little ones around. Poor Mikey is screwed because I have worked in a spinal cord injury unit and therefore I know too much....resulting in a very overprotective Mommy. (I have been teased that Mikey will be required to wear a helmet while riding a stationary bicycle....and the person who said that was EXACTLY RIGHT!) Sorry dude. We decided to turn Mikey around this weekend because his poor legs were getting scrunched and he was quite uncomfortable (obviously). Since it is so close to his second birthday we decided it was okay (with much hesitation from the worry-wart, AKA Mommy).

Saturday we drove to Queensbury for the weekend and Mikey was SO EXCITED to have a whole new (read: BETTER) view of the car and Mommy and Daddy. The other exciting thing was once he started to get fussy, Mommy and Daddy revealed the hidden DVD player that is on the ceiling of the car! We put in his favorite truck video and Mikey was in heaven. We started a horrible association. (In Mikey's mind, forward facing meant "I watch TV whenever I want".) That afternoon when we got back in the car to go sledding, guess what was repeatedly requested.....AND resulted in a tantrum and unwillingness to sled? Yup, you guessed it. The truck DVD.

We have nipped the video watching in a bud as we tell Mikey that errands are a "short trip". When we go on "long trips" to visit Mimi or Grandma, THEN he can watch "trucks". So far it's been working.

While driving around the neighborhood this week, it has been quite enjoyable having Mikey as an active participant in the backseat. He notifies me of all the trucks and buses on the road, we point out different objects while we are stuck in traffic or at a light....and we share more smiles during those lengthy lights, too.

Mikey, as much as I miss the "baby stage" with you, I gotta say that you are more and more fun everyday. Love you, buddy.